Agriculture, Food Security, and the Environment: Three Essays on Microeconomic Challenges in Rural Development

Abstract

Rural households in developing countries face numerous economic challenges as they try to improve their livelihood through agriculture. This research addresses three of the most pressing issues: management of scarce input resources, selection of optimal crop mix, and post-harvest storage decisions. In each case I develop theoretical models which provide insights on these challenges and ground the empirical work. Results from this research provide direction for policymakers on how to ease constraints in household development